Q&A: Denis Dercourt
Q&A: Denis Dercourt
July 20th, 2007Denis Dercourt, 42, is very much a renaissance man: writer, director, accomplished classical musician and teacher at the prestigious Conservatoire National in Strasbourg. Not surprisingly, his Cannes-premiered The Page Turner successfully intertwines the elements of a classic thriller into the world of classical music.
How did a musician like you become a director?
My mother played the piano, so she encouraged me to pick up music. But when I was 30, I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps, too, in the cinema business.
How would you describe your directing style?
My style is very physical and precise. I direct the cast as if they were musicians. I focus more on physical movements than on psychological motives. I always give exact directions concerning gestures and even tone of voice.
What is the idea behind The Page Turner?
At the beginning, I wanted to deal only with the revenge theme. Then, during the writing process, I tried to develop various strong scenes around the plot and decided to use the classical European music scene as the backdrop for the action. After all, music is my world.
How do you explain The Page Turner‘s success?
It is made with very simple elements, just like a fairy tale. You have a butcher’s daughter, a very rich family in a mansion and revenge. On top of that, the film deals with childhood injuries, which everybody can relate to, and it uses a universal language, music.
.jpg "Escape Routes: Nov14, 2008")
